Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Unleash the Hounds (2)
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The Awakened Association headquarters, located in Yeouido.
I walked past the crowd of Awakened who had gathered for their registration evaluations, same as always, and got on the staff-only elevator.
*Knock, knock.*
"Yes, come in."
A deep, gruff voice flowed out after I knocked on the Team Leader's office door.
*Click.*
When I opened the door, the sight of a muscular giant sitting at the office desk came into view.
*Is he going to break that chair?*
*Screeeak.*
The moment Team Leader Han lifted his butt, a creaking sound echoed through the room, as if the chair was letting out a suppressed scream.
"Have you been well?"
"Thanks to you."
I sat on the sofa, exchanging light pleasantries.
I wanted to immediately grill him about the request with the insane 2-billion-won reward, but there was something else I had to do first.
"Have you ever heard of an organization called the Black Star Society?"
"The Black Star Society?"
Team Leader Han Jun-man shook his head and replied.
"No. First I've heard of it."
"Then... have you ever seen this Stigma?"
I picked up a piece of paper and drew the Stigma of Noctua to show him.
"This is... one moment."
Team Leader Han pulled a thick book from his drawer and flipped through the pages.
Soon, he narrowed his eyes and turned the paper with the Stigma drawn on it this way and that.
"This Stigma... it's the Stigma of Noctua."
"You know of it?"
"I don't know the specifics myself... but I'm certain it's one of the 'Forgotten Stigmas'."
Forgotten Stigmas?
What the hell is that?
"That's what we call the Stigmas that had existing records when the Constellations first appeared on Earth eight years ago, but can no longer be found."
A Forgotten Stigma.
"Is there no record of why they disappeared?"
"No. The situation back then... it wasn't exactly conducive to keeping records."
Team Leader Han gave a bitter smile and scratched his head.
"Ah."
Oh-jin let out a short sigh and nodded.
Eight years ago.
When the gates to other worlds first opened.
An era of nightmares when dozens of countries vanished and two-thirds of the Earth was overrun by monsters.
In that case, it was understandable that no proper records remained.
*Who has time to keep records when you could die at any moment?*
Weren't those the days when simply surviving from one day to the next was considered a miracle?
*In any case, if the Stigma of Noctua existed eight years ago...*
...it means the Stigmas of the Black Stars have been around for a full eight years.
*Then perhaps the Black Star Society...*
...is an organization that has been operating in the shadows for all that time.
*It wasn't some hastily formed group.*
An organization that had been biding its time and growing in strength for eight long years to achieve its goal wouldn't be of an ordinary scale.
*This is getting bigger than I thought.*
Oh-jin frowned.
It seemed he hadn't just poked a beehive, but a hornet's nest.
*I'll have to prepare thoroughly.*
I had a few methods in mind, but none of them felt quite right yet.
"Hmm."
Team Leader Han, who had been staring intently at the paper with the Stigma of Noctua, turned his head toward me.
"By the way, where did you see this Stigma...?"
"A few days ago, I got into a bit of a scuffle in a gate."
"A scuffle?"
"Yes. I found a Sacred Relic in a gate... and an Awakened named Yujin suddenly attacked me, claiming it was his."
I explained what had happened a week ago, with a slight exaggeration.
"W-were you hurt?"
"As you can see."
"Phew... that's a relief."
Team Leader Han Jun-man let out a short sigh of relief and asked.
"Did the Awakened who got into a scuffle with you possess the Stigma of Noctua?"
"Yes."
"Ah, then perhaps this Black Star Society...?"
"Haha. You catch on quick. Yes, that's right. The guy said he was a member of the 'Black Star Society'."
"Hmm."
Oh-jin shrugged lightly and continued.
"Anyway, since I was the one who was suddenly attacked, I just asked to find out who they were."
"I see... Understood. We'll look into the Constellation of Noctua on our end. And the Black Star Society you mentioned as well."
Team Leader Han nodded, his expression hardening.
"Thank you."
Oh-jin chuckled and shook his head.
If the Association itself was investigating, I could expect some good news.
No matter how much the Association was looked down on, it was still the largest organization directly under the government.
In terms of intelligence gathering alone, most guilds couldn't even hold a candle to it.
"I have one more thing to ask, if that's alright."
"Ah, yes. Of course."
"About how much do you think this would fetch?"
Oh-jin took out the fist-sized Sacred Stone he had received from Yujin and placed it on the table.
"Oh... this is quite a high-quality Sacred Stone."
Team Leader Han let out a short exclamation as he examined the fist-sized Sacred Stone.
"A Sacred Relic would need a separate appraisal... but this Sacred Stone alone should get you at least 500 million won."
500 million!!
I desperately suppressed the corners of my mouth from turning up at the jaw-dropping amount.
*Keuh! The Black Star Society is the best!!*
To think I could earn this much just by running my mouth for less than five minutes.
A thrilling shiver ran down my spine.
"Can the Association handle selling it?"
"Of course. I'll make sure you get a better price than the market rate."
Team Leader Han smiled confidently and puffed out his chest.
Seeing the large, dark-skinned man puff out his chest like that, he looked like a male gorilla showing off his strength to attract a female.
"Taxes..."
"Naturally, there are none."
What is this.
I think I'm falling for this gorilla.
"Oh, right. While we're at it, could you appraise this too?"
I held out the Sacred Relic that the Black Star Society had swapped for the black chalice.
"Is this the Sacred Relic the scuffle was about?"
"Haha, yes. That's the one."
"To have found a Sacred Relic already..."
Team Leader Han Jun-man let out a short exclamation.
Finding a Sacred Relic in a gate wasn't that rare, but it was extremely uncommon for a rookie who had just finished his registration evaluation to get his hands on one.
*No, for Mr. Oh-jin, it might be possible.*
Even though he had just finished his registration, it was hard to dismiss him as a 'rookie' given the natural air of experience he exuded. It was extraordinary.
*He has the skill of someone who's been rolling around in gates for years.*
Though that was impossible, since he would have been an ordinary person before his Awakening.
Team Leader Han took the blue chalice that Oh-jin offered.
"I'll submit a request to our affiliated appraiser."
"Thank you."
Oh-jin bowed his head deeply.
I briefly considered having him take care of the variant Sacred Stone as well, but decided to hold onto it for a little longer.
*It might be connected to those Black Star Society bastards.*
It could be useful later.
"Alright, then. Do you have any more questions?"
"No."
Oh-jin nodded.
Hmph!
He let out an excited snort, his eyes sparkling.
*It's about time for the main dish.*
The biggest reason I'd rushed to the Association headquarters the moment I got the call.
"—What's the request?"
"Haha. I was just about to explain."
Team Leader Han laughed heartily and took a sip of coffee from his mug.
"First off, the one who submitted this urgent request is the Valhalla Guild."
"...The Valhalla Guild?"
I'd never heard the name before.
*To offer 2 billion won as a reward, they must be a decently sized guild.*
I furrowed my brow, racking my brain to recall the name.
"You probably haven't heard of them. They're a guild that's been rising rapidly recently."
"Ah, is that so?"
"Yes. They're a small, elite guild, and every single one of their members is rumored to be exceptionally skilled."
Small and elite.
I thought they were a large guild, but it seems they invested in quality over quantity.
"Above all, their Guild Master is incredible. He's even considered a candidate for the next generation of 'Seven Stars'."
The Seven Stars (七星).
A title referring to the seven Awakened who possess the greatest power and authority in the world.
To be mentioned as a candidate for that title, he must be no ordinary Awakened.
"Well... personally, I think you're more impressive, Mr. Oh-jin."
Team Leader Han shrugged and continued.
"I'm certain you'll become one of the Seven Stars one day, too."
"You have too much faith in me."
Oh-jin gave a modest smile and shook his head.
I was being humble, but honestly, I wasn't without confidence.
If I keep getting stronger like this, I'm sure I'll get there someday.
*The Seven Stars.*
They were said to be powerhouses who had far surpassed humanity, but I'd never seen one in person, so I couldn't grasp just how strong they were.
*There's only one in Korea, too.*
With six of the seven being in foreign countries, it wasn't easy to hear news about them.
And the one in Korea wasn't exactly the type to be active in public.
"Ahem. Anyway, back to the request... it's the kind of job that's difficult if you make it difficult, and easy if you make it easy."
What's that supposed to mean?
"What is the request that you'd describe it like that?"
"...Finding a person."
Finding a person?
"Like a private investigator? Finding someone and looking into them?"
But the reward is 2 billion won?
*Even if they're rolling in money, 2 billion for that?*
I looked at Team Leader Han with a questioning gaze.
He shook his head lightly and spoke.
"It's not a request to investigate anyone, but literally just to find someone. To be precise, finding a missing person."
"Ah."
So that's what it was.
If it was about finding a missing person, especially one who 'disappeared inside a gate', you'd need a skilled Awakened.
"Who is the missing person?"
"Let's see... one moment."
Team Leader Han shuffled through the request forms.
"Ah, here it is."
He picked out a single sheet from the pile of documents and placed the request form on the table.
"Date of disappearance: November 6th."
"It's been about two weeks."
It was the 22nd, so it had been exactly two weeks and two days.
"Place of disappearance... his trail went cold that morning, so they're not sure. They say it's highly likely to be one of the low-level 1 or 2-star gates in the Incheon area."
"I'll have to check about eight places then."
As of now, there were a total of eight low-level gates in Incheon.
Having spent the last few years running scams primarily in low-level gates, I knew that area inside and out.
*Eight places should be quick.*
Now that I'd reached 3-star, I could finish investigating all of them in two days, three at most.
"Gender, male. Age, mid-to-late twenties. Height, 182 centimeters. Black hair, slender build. Oh, and his name is... let's see. Ah, it's written here."
Team Leader Han, who had been reading down the document, pointed to a section with his finger.
"Lee Shin-hyeok. The missing person's name is Lee Shin-hyeok."
"—Excuse me?"
Who the fuck?
"So? Think you can find him?"
No.
Find him? What's there to find?
*He's already dead.*
This is fucking insane.